5 tips to slash your veterinary bills
Did you know that your veterinary bills are rising at two to three times the rate that your salary does? One way to lower your pet costs is to become a more educated consumer. Most people spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars a year on their pets, so if you can find a way to lower them by even 20% you can save yourself a lot of money.
There are so many ways to lower your veterinary bills, but here are just 5 quick tips for you.
1. Be nice to the technicians and the veterinarian when you are at the clinic. A lot of people are just nice to the veterinarian, but then are rude to the technicians. This is a big mistake, because if the technicians like you they will likely do some free stuff for you, like trimming your dog’s nails. If they don’t like you, you can be sure that you’ll be charged full price for everything they can think of.
2. Don’t let your pet become overweight. It is estimated that over 40% of America’s pets are overweight. Being overweight puts your pet at a much higher risk of acquiring a large number of diseases. Some common problems experienced by overweight pets include diabetes, cruciate damage, heart disease, heat intolerance, and liver problems. Also, if you pet does need surgery there is an increased anesthetic and surgical risk as well. Just like people, healthy pets require less medical care and live longer lives.
3. Avoid pet insurance. Both Reader’s Digest and Consumer Reports both agree that pet insurance is rarely worth the price. In fact, they say it can often times add hundreds to even thousands of dollars to the cost of owning a pet. They know it is better to save money in a pet emergency fund, but they know that most people don’t have the will power to do this. Prove them wrong.
4. Buy pet medications online. Buying some of your pet’s medications online can save you a lot of money for things you use on a regular basis, like flea and tick prevention, heartworm prevention, etc. But sometimes it makes sense just to get them from your veterinarian, either because there are no shipping charges, or you need the medication right now.
5. Pet Proof Your House. Your house can be filled with objects your pet could easily eat. For dogs, small toys can become lodged in their throats, and for cats, something as benign as dental floss can be deadly. By taking steps to prevent this you can easily save hundreds even thousands by avoiding emergency room visits with your pet.
By becoming an educated consumer you can empower yourself to make better financial decisions veterinary bills. Veterinarians prefer to work with educated clients because they can do so much more for you when you understand what your pet needs. While these 5 tips can help you lower your pet costs, there are so many more ways to lower them dramatically.
